


Once Upon a Serenade

by SwanAuthor



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Rewrite, The Enchanted Forest (Once Upon a Time)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:34:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29409843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwanAuthor/pseuds/SwanAuthor
Summary: Season 3B-Captain Swan RewritePan’s curse sends Emma and Henry to New York and the fairytale characters to the Enchanted Forest. When an enemy goes after what Regina loves most, Emma and Henry are pulled into the fairytale realm, with no memory of their time in Storybrooke. Who better to help them survive than a dashing rapscallion looking for redemption?
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've started this story as a challenge to myself for Valentine's Day. This is a Captain Swan 'fix-it' story to address some plot points I would've handled differently for Season 3B. As far as this story is concerned, Pan's curse happened, Emma and Henry are in New York, and everyone else was sent to the Enchanted Forest. I'm keeping a few of the storylines from 3B, but a number of things will be different.
> 
> This story will be Captain Swan-centric with references to other pairings. I will still be writing my Lieutenant Duckling slow burn fiction, but I've been feeling a need to write some pirate and bail bondswoman romance. Just as a forewarning-there will be angst in this tale.
> 
> Lastly, I'm also challenging myself here by playing with my writing style. I would greatly appreciate any feedback on the story or the style.
> 
> Now, as always, thank you for reading!

Something is missing.

Emma can feel it.

It's like walking into a room and not remembering the reason why.

She walks into her new apartment with Henry, and it's the same kind of feeling. Emma doesn't know what's missing, but she's certain that something important is gone.

She tells herself she's just imagining things. It's probably normal for someone whose apartment just burned down to experience this sort of emptiness and longing.

And she knows she should be grateful. She has the most important thing in her life—she has her son Henry.

This life should be enough.

What more does she need?

* * *

Killian is finally back where he belongs—onboard the _Jolly Roger_.

And he can live with the price.

One more fragment of his former honor is gone with his sacrifice of the mermaid's true love. He is again more Captain Hook than Killian Jones.

He tells himself this is what he wants—what he needs. As he told Smee, women come and go, but a pirate's life is forever.

He knows the sharp memories of the latest woman to plague his heart will begin to fade. The rum helps to dull them.

But his nights—he still has no interest in other women. His mind remains fixed on a kiss shared in Neverland—and all that might have been if only he and Swan could live in the same realm.

He is left with the mere memory of their one time thing and the promise he made to her at the town line. He thinks of her everyday, even if it breaks his heart.

He knows how to protect that fragile beating organ in his chest, though. The persona of Captain Hook—the most dreaded pirate to set sail—helps him with that. Hook goes on the hunt for treasure and lets no man stand in his way, but on the inside, Killian knows the one treasure he truly wants is the one he can never have.

Still, he is a pirate, and there is always a chance that one day he will find some form of riches to fill the void in him. This life is one he's familiar with—one that's kept him going for centuries.

This life should be enough.

What more does he need?

* * *

The furniture salesman Walsh is driving her nuts. Some men just need to take a hint.

She's already dealing with a new life in a new city and a new job—she doesn't need a new boyfriend as well.

Henry feels differently. The kid apparently thinks she's lonely, and she can't lie to him about it.

The strange feeling of something missing does remind her of loneliness—as if she's missing out on some sort friendship or companionship she used to know.

It's crazy, and Emma knows it, but still she can't shake the feeling. If Henry's starting to notice it too, then maybe she needs to do something about it.

Maybe she should finally go on a date with Walsh.

* * *

He wonders if he should go back to the Charmings and Regina.

Nothing from his old life satisfies him, and he's found no means to return to the Land Without Magic.

He knows the Crocodile spent three hundred years looking for a way to reach that land, and Pan's Shadow could travel there—but neither of those options are possible for him.

The Shadow is gone, and Rumplestiltskin's Dark Curse—assuming it even exists in this realm now—would be of no use to him. The Dark One is no more, and the ingredients to cast the curse cannot be collected.

The curse requires a sacrifice by the one casting it of the thing they love most.

Regina cannot cast the curse, and even if she could show Killian how it could be done, he knows he would not be able to cast it either. Both their loves—Regina's boy and his Swan—are a world away.

But a part of him questions the rules of the curse. Could he sacrifice the thing he loves most in this realm to open the portal?

He knows what he holds most dear in this realm—the _Jolly Roger_.

His mind is at war over the idea.

Captain Hook tells him to stop being a lovesick fool—that the _Jolly_ is more important to him than any woman could ever be.

Killian Jones screams for a torch to burn the blasted vessel down around him—anything to find a way back to her.

The flask in his hand wins the argument. Even if he could open a portal, that would not return Swan's memories. She wouldn't know him, but rather only the happy life Regina gave to her with her son.

He knows he is a selfish pirate. He knows how much he wants her—how much he needs her—to keep the demons in his soul at bay.

But he doesn't know how he could take that happy life away from her, and he doesn't know if she would ever forgive him if he tried.

To live a life without her because of a curse is easier than to do so knowing it was because she couldn't stand him.

And the burn of the rum helps to ease his pain.

* * *

Walsh is funny and nice and…nothing Emma is looking for.

There's no connection between them—no spark that makes this feel right.

But sparks have burned her in the past, so she thinks maybe she should try playing it safe and give this a chance.

Walsh asks about Henry, which is a pleasant change of pace compared to prior first dates who only seemed interested in her breasts.

Still, when he asks if he could see how the furniture looks in her apartment, she hesitates. She doesn't bring men home to meet Henry—but then again, Walsh has already met Henry and seen her apartment. He stopped by two weeks ago to make sure the furniture would fit through the door and to let her know when to expect delivery.

"I'm not asking to move in," he says with a light chuckle.

She knows that's the truth, but she also can tell that there's more to his request.

He wants something.

 _But what guy doesn't,_ she tells herself as she remembers how much Henry wants her to stop being lonely.

She can take care of herself—there's nothing that Walsh can do to her no matter what his motives are. She knows self defense and how to fight back when faced with a threat—and Walsh isn't a threat. He doesn't have the spine to be one as far as Emma can tell.

And she can protect more than her body. She knows the importance of protecting the life she has, and she's had years of practice in building and reinforcing her emotional walls.

With Walsh, she needs to set ground rules to make sure he understands that she's in charge here.

"You can come upstairs for ten minutes. That's it. It's a school night, and I need to make sure Henry has all of his homework done," Emma replies.

* * *

Killian leaves the flask untouched tonight. It's done nothing for him the last few days.

He still wakes every morning with feelings of longing and regret, and nothing from his past life of piracy can cure what ails him—including the rum.

Swan's words haunt him—she'd said he could be part of something.

But why would he want to be part of anything that didn't include her?

Earlier in the day, he'd sent his crew away with gold in their pockets. He could tell they needed a different captain—one who still wants to live a life of violence, vengeance, and thievery. He doesn't have the drive anymore, and he no longer has the will to pretend he's something he cannot be.

Without the crew, his existence will be easier. He'll only have himself and the ship to worry about, and perhaps he'll be able to find some purpose in this cursed, half-life he lives.

He knows the Charmings would take him in—do-gooders that they are. They would help him find a new path, and they would probably welcome him with open arms, as one more person who understands their grief.

But he also knows how far he's fallen in the last few weeks. It didn't take long for him to turn his back on his attempts at heroism. He betrayed the mermaid for his own gains with barely a second thought.

There is no redemption for him. His mistakes all but guarantee that.

Captain Hook cannot be a better man.

But for some reason, Killian still wishes for a chance to be one.

* * *

Emma pays the babysitter once she and Walsh arrive at her apartment, and her date goes to inspect the end table in her living room.

He then makes small talk with Henry until the sitter is out the door—asking about school and Henry's favorite subjects.

It's once again something that Emma considers to be nice about Walsh, but it doesn't help ease the feeling of loss that's settled upon her. She realizes then that this man isn't going to fill the void in her heart.

But she isn't going to disrupt a moment where Henry appears to be enjoying himself. She can see that the kid likes talking about his science projects and math homework, and Walsh appears to be actively listening.

She'll break it to the guy in a call tomorrow that there won't be any future dates.

She'll let Henry know that he'll understand when he's older.

She then hears them talking about the roof of the building—how Walsh's company furnished it, how Henry hasn't been up there, and how incredible the view is. It doesn't take long before Henry is begging to go up and take a look—his homework is done and he wants to see more of the building that is now his home.

Emma's resolve breaks at the last comment. She wants Henry to like the new life they're building together in New York. If a quick trip to the roof will help with that, then who is she to argue?

She does at least insist that he take his coat, as she grabs her red leather jacket to help ward off the chill that's started to settle in the air.

She chides herself for the feeling of concern prickling through her mind as the elevator reaches the top floor and they head to the stairwell that leads to the roof.

She doesn't know what she could possibly have to worry about.

* * *

The view is incredible—for the minute that Emma has to enjoy it before Walsh turns psychotic and tries to grab Henry.

Two strangers emerge from the shadows to help Walsh, and Emma puts up a fight against them, finding a discarded pipe on the ground and taking wild swings. The pipe connects with the men a few times, but the hits aren't doing enough damage. They seem to just be annoying these attackers, rather than hurting them.

Walsh finally comes up behind her, wrapping one arm around her waist and using the other to put a knife to her throat. His grip is stronger than Emma expects it would be—almost unnaturally so, and Emma's no longer in a position to hit him with the makeshift weapon in her hands. Walsh demands that she drop the pipe and that Henry be more compliant or else Emma will pay for it.

Emma regrets so many things in that moment. She regrets the tight dress she's wearing that's limiting her ability to kick Walsh. She regrets leaving her pepper spray downstairs in the apartment. And she regrets accepting a date with Walsh in the first place.

She's out of ideas, so she drops the pipe and Henry allows the men to zip tie his wrists.

Walsh throws her to the ground then, and Emma pushes herself up, moving to stand between the men who have her son and the doorway.

She's going to stop them from taking her son—no matter what it takes.

But Walsh just laughs at her determination. They don't need to use the doorway, he explains, they just need the shoes on his feet.

"What the hell are you talking about?" she asks.

"I've just got to think about home, and then, three clicks later, that's where I'll be," he answers.

Emma can't believe what she's hearing. The man thinks he's in _The Wizard of Oz_.

It's insanity, but the other men seem to believe it too.

They link arms with each other, and they do the same with Henry, forming a circle.

Walsh clicks his heels together once.

Emma doesn't understand what's going on, but a voice in her mind tells her that doesn't matter. All she needs to know is that she can't let these men leave with her son—at least not without following them.

Walsh clicks his heels together a second time.

Emma can feel something in the air. It's like a strange form of energy that's eerily familiar, and suddenly Emma doesn't care that nothing makes sense. She knows what she needs to do.

She follows her instinct and grabs hold of Walsh's arm before his heels click for a third time.

There's an uneasy feeling of weightlessness all around her—like a roller coaster but with no seatbelt holding her securely in place.

She keeps a firm grip on Walsh's arm and wishes that this ride would stop. She wants to be somewhere safe with Henry—somewhere they'll feel protected. She can't picture an exact place where that might be, but she knows what it should feel like, and she holds on to that feeling as tightly as she holds the arm in front of her.

Suddenly her feet collide with a wooden floor, and she falls to the ground with the force of the impact.

She realizes that Henry, Walsh, and the other two men are on the ground too, and they're all struggling to recover from whatever just happened.

She can hear Walsh and his associates begin to argue. Wherever the hell they are—it isn't where they're supposed to be. The other men blame Walsh, but he is quick to say that this is Emma's fault.

She doesn't understand what he's saying. She doesn't know where they are or how they got here. All she knows for certain is that Walsh is angry. The look in his eyes makes that abundantly clear.

When he rises to his feet and starts moving toward her, Emma sees that he's once again brandishing the knife.

* * *

Something's going on above deck. There's no one else on the ship, so there shouldn't be any noises like the ones he's just heard.

Killian puts on his sword belt and climbs the ladder out of his cabin to investigate.

From the helm, he can see five people on the deck of his ship.

His heart stops when he realizes that one of them is her. He would know that golden mane and red leather jacket anywhere.

Her boy is also among them, but he doesn't know the others.

He watches as one of the men pulls a knife and advances toward his Swan.

Hook knows all he needs to about the others in that moment— _they're dead men_.

He grabs a rope from the rigging above him and swings down to the main deck, knocking down the man with the knife in the process. He draws his sword, ready to end the life of this worthless coward when snarls erupt from the other two men.

Their skin turns to fur before his eyes, and wings sprout from their backs.

Killian can see Emma out of the corner of his eye. She's standing now and pulling her son away from the creatures.

"Stay behind me," he tells her. He won't allow anything to take her from him again.

The fight doesn't take long. There's no strategy in the beasts' movements—only blind violence. After a few quick moves and deft parries, the winged simians are dead on the _Jolly_ 's deck, and their bodies transform back into men.

Hook turns around to see that he should've killed the man with the knife first. The man is holding the blade to Henry's throat, threatening the boy and telling Emma to drop the harpoon she has in her hands.

His Swan is a fighter—Killian knows this. But he also knows she would never allow any harm to come to her son.

She lowers herself into a crouch, as if she means to put the weapon on the deck, but with one brief nod to her son, the boy moves slightly, and Emma drives the harpoon into the man's thigh.

It's enough of a distraction for the man to release Henry. Emma pulls the boy toward her, and Hook moves forward to make sure the man cannot retaliate.

Before Hook can end the man, though, he transforms into a beast just like his cohorts and takes flight, screeching viciously as he flees.

Killian turns back to Swan and her boy, and he can see the woman who's haunted his dreams staring at him and standing protectively in front of her son.

There is no look of recognition in her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone for the motivational kudos, comments, and subscriptions! I hope you continue to enjoy this story as I try to fix Season 3B. You may have noticed in the last chapter that I didn't think Emma should've had a long term relationship with a liar like Walsh. I think she would've picked up on his act sooner. Let me know your thoughts on the changes I've made so far. Also, I've decided to expand the point to view to include at least a few more characters in future chapters, but the focus of the story will remain on Emma and Killian.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading!

Emma lets the pirate lead them below deck.

After the day she's having, she doesn't know what else to do. First her date turns out to be a deranged flying monkey, then she's on Captain Hook's ship in someplace called The Enchanted Forest.

Part of her wonders if she's been in some kind of accident, and perhaps this is all just some strange hallucination brought on by painkillers.

But she knows the fear she felt when Walsh grabbed Henry was too real for any dream.

And nothing can explain why she feels so willing to trust the pirate.

Yes, he did just swashbuckle his way through bad guys who seemed ready to kill her, and yes, he is unbearably handsome—dressed head to toe in black with dark, disheveled hair to match. The phrase "Captain Tight Pants" comes to her mind as her eyes once again drift over his rugged form.

And then there are the haunting blue eyes that seem to follow her. She wants to know why he keeps casting longing looks in her direction, and why there seems to be so much sorrow in his gaze.

But most importantly, she wants to know why the loneliness that's plagued her diminishes in his presence.

She thinks maybe it's the adrenaline of the night. Perhaps she's too stressed and too shaken to feel that emptiness that's been dwelling in her heart.

But when Hook leaves them in his cabin to go man the helm for the night, she notices the feeling creep back into her at his departure.

She can't explain it, and the pirate's earlier attempts at answers provide her with little comfort.

He apparently knows them, and he knows that their memories have been altered. He doesn't fill in all the blanks—he says that he can't. There's too much to cover, and he wasn't party to all of it. She needs to wait if she wants her questions answered.

And Emma believes him—for the most part. It does take some convincing, but the pirate knows things a stranger shouldn't. He knows about her superpower, and he challenges her to spot a lie among his words.

There are none, and what he tells her helps to explain some of what's happened tonight—even if his version of the truth remains difficult to accept. If she really has spent the last few years living among fairytale characters, perhaps something happened in that forgotten life that caused Walsh and the others to go after Henry.

Hook doesn't know the guys who abducted them, and he's never seen a flying monkey before. He doesn't even understand the movie reference.

But he says that doesn't matter. No harm will come to either Emma or Henry, so long as he can help it.

And Emma knows that's the truth too.

He's offered to take them somewhere safe, somewhere they might find answers—and Emma is willing to follow him.

* * *

She's come back to him.

Killian has trouble accepting that fact. He worries he'll soon jar awake, and all of this will have been just another fleeting dream.

But the hatch behind him opens, and he can hear her climbing the ladder out of his cabin.

She wears the red jacket he knows, and a dress that must be meant to torture him. The black leather clings to her curves in an irresistible manner. The dress is unlike anything he saw her wear in Storybrooke, and Killian can't stop himself from wondering why she is wearing such a tantalizing garment.

He realizes then that the dress looks like what women in her world wear when being courted, and a stab of jealousy runs through his heart. Hook wants to drive his namesake into some unworthy bastard's neck, and then kiss Emma senseless—until she realizes that he is the only man for her.

It takes all his willpower to keep from acting out at least part of that fantasy. With her so close, he can easily imagine pulling her into his arms and pressing her against the wheel. He'd then rub his fingers against that smooth leather covering her body before claiming her lips just as she'd claimed his all those months ago.

But he keeps his desires in check.

She doesn't remember their dalliance in Neverland or how he vowed to win her heart. To her, he's only a stranger.

He needs to start over from the beginning again—but he's more than willing to do so. As he told Baelfire, he's in this for the long haul. He'll win her over as many times as he has to, and once he's done that, then the fun will begin.

"Can't sleep, love?" he asks her.

"I'm not your love," she replies, and he mentally curses himself. His Swan is a guarded creature, and she wouldn't want someone she just met trying to scale the walls around her heart.

"Of course not. Forgive my informal use of the term," he says. "Now, I take it you came up here for a reason, Swan?"

"I need to know," she states simply. "There were things you didn't tell me."

Killian notices that she's taken her time to ask this—most likely waiting for the boy to fall asleep.

"I told you there are things I can't share—things that just won't make sense without your memories," he replies.

"And there are some things you're just holding back," she says. "I need to know what those things are."

She leans against the railing at his side, crossing her arms and daring him to deny her.

He's long past being able to deny her anything.

He tells her of the first Dark Curse, that not only did she live among fairytale characters, but that she is also related to them. He tells her that she is the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, the product of True Love—and that she is burdened with being the savior.

"And Henry?" she asks.

She explains that some of her memories feel real, but those concerning Henry—especially the older ones—feel incomplete.

It shatters him to tell her that she gave the boy up, but he cannot lie to her. He watches her eyes close as she tries to keep the pain of the truth inside.

No matter what he says—that she gave her son his best chance, that since reuniting with him, she's fought everyday for his safety and wellbeing—his words can't grant her relief.

He holds himself back from brushing a stray tear off her cheek. He knows touching her would give him more comfort in this moment than it would her, and despite being a pirate, he isn't _that_ selfish.

For now, it's enough to share the same space as her and to breathe the same air. These are small treasures he never expected to find again after Pan's curse, and he welcomes every moment of them.

"Don't pirates keep alcohol on their ships?" she asks eventually, her strength and determination once again apparent in those emerald eyes of hers.

He's grateful the flask is still in his pocket, and he readily hands it over to her.

She takes a hearty drink and doesn't flinch from the liquid's burn. His Swan is a tough lass—even if she can't remember all the times she's proven that fact to him.

When she offers the bottle back to him, he notices a cut on her hand. He's reminded of their first adventure together—their trip up the beanstalk. If she can recognize a fake memory, is there any chance she might be able to see a real one played out before her?

He takes the bottle in his hand and wraps his hook around her wrist, pointing out the cut to her.

She doesn't recall how she received it but lists off possibilities—fighting with the men who tried to grab Henry, falling through a portal, or perhaps Walsh with his knife.

Hook makes note of the name— _Walsh_. The man is going to die a painful death for hurting his Swan.

But now he needs to focus on her. The scene differs greatly from the entrance to the giant's castle, but the players are at least the same. He moves in closer and uncorks the flask with his teeth.

He pours the liquid on the wound, and she winces but doesn't demand to be told what's causing the sting—she already knows the contents of the flask.

"You didn't need to do that," she says instead, and he tries to hide his disappointment that her choice of words isn't more meaningful.

"It's only rum," he replies, as he reaches for his ascot.

" _A waste of it_ ," she says, and there's a curious tone to her voice, as if she's testing the words on her tongue and making sure they feel right.

The words closely mimic the ones he'd chosen at the beanstalk, and he does what he can to sustain the moment, wrapping the cloth around her hand slowly and tying it with his teeth.

There's a palpable intimacy to the act, and the way she's breathing makes him think she can sense it too.

"Is there something else I should know?" she asks, and Killian struggles with the temptation of the question.

Hook sees an invitation to win this contest once and for all. He can tell her exactly what he wants her to know. He can paint himself a hero and have her in bed with him before the dawn breaks.

He doesn't even need to tell lies. He can just tell her what she needs to hear and omit the more bothersome parts of the tale.

But Killian knows that a one time thing with Emma Swan will not be enough. He doesn't want to share a bed with her for just one night—he wants all the nights.

He also plans to keep his vow—he promised to win her without trickery, and once she regains her memories, he wants her to know that he did just that.

"Aye, there's more you need to know," he replies.

* * *

Neal Cassidy—Henry's father and the former love of her life—is the child of a fairytale character too.

Of more concern to Emma is the fact that he's here in this messed up magical world—along with the parents she doesn't remember meeting and her son's other mother. The safe place where they're heading will be filled with this bizarre cast of characters, and Emma can't help but think that she'd rather face the flying monkeys again instead.

But Hook—who's so unlike any cartoon or movie adaptation she's ever seen—is what calms her down. He informs her that they have two days before they reach her parents' kingdom of Misthaven.

"That's plenty of time to tell your boy what you deem fit," Hook tells her. "And if all else fails, at least we're out in the middle of the ocean."

"What good does that do me?" Emma asks.

"Your boy takes after you, Swan—in a number of ways," Hook replies. "If he feels inclined to run after you break the news to him, then at least he won't have far to go."

There's a mischievous glint in the pirate's eyes as he says those words, and Emma wonders how well he knows her.

She doesn't ask him any more questions, and he doesn't offer any further information on himself or the new topic that's entered her mind— _them._

He's not her type. Yes, he is nearly every fantasy a woman could have wrapped up in one tight, leather-bound package, but she doesn't go for bad boys anymore. Ever since Neal, she plays it safe. She likes to have control in her relationships. It's better for Henry that way.

But what if she didn't have Henry for the first ten years of his life? What relationship choices did that other version of her make?

Emma takes one last look at the pirate and tries to push the thoughts out of her mind. She has more important things to worry about—like what to tell her son.

She thanks Hook for the information he's shared and tells him that she'll let Henry know in the morning. It won't help either of them for her son to be blindsided by his father or other mother once they arrive at this Misthaven place, but she still knows the conversation won't be easy.

She turns to head back down to the cabin, and Hook is there in an instant, offering her a hand to help her down the steps.

"So you're a pirate and a gentleman," she says offhandedly, not knowing where the words come from. They just feel familiar and right.

Hook squeezes her hand slightly, as if what she said means something to him.

"I'm always a gentleman," he replies softly.

Nothing more is said between them. He holds her hand until she releases his, and she doesn't look back in his direction a single time.

For some reason, she's grateful when the hatch closes firmly behind her.

Running away from the pirate somehow feels familiar too.

* * *

The boy is the first to join him on deck in the morning.

Henry explains that his mother didn't sleep much the night before, and she's trying to catch up on that now.

Killian hadn't slept a wink either. He was too fearful that if he shut his eyes, he would wake to find Swan no longer with him.

She apparently stayed up until her son was awake, so that she could share the truth with him. The boy couldn't sleep again after what he'd learned, and his mother couldn't keep her eyes open. The ordeal exhausted her.

"So—you know my Dad?" Henry asks finally.

"Aye," Killian answers.

"Were things different with him in the life we don't remember? Did he try to find my Mom after he let her go to jail for him?"

Killian doesn't have all the details of Neal's life. He knows what Bae was like as a boy and how Milah described her son, but of course, Henry wants to hear those parts of the story most impactful to his life and his mother's.

"I don't know," he answers truthfully. "I knew your father first when he was a lad about your age, and then more recently when I spent time with you and your family in Storybrooke and Neverland."

"We're they together in this other life—him and my Mom?"

Hook wants to say no emphatically, but Killian knows there is more to the situation than could be summarized in a single word. Emma may not be fully in a relationship with Neal, but Killian has never heard her completely refuse Neal either. In truth, she hasn't given Neal or Killian a clear indication as to which one of them she'll choose, and there's always been some kind of threat or danger, which allowed her to avoid that decision.

"That's a question for your mother to answer once you and she have your memories back," Killian replies eventually.

"Okay," Henry says—disappointment clear in his voice. "What about this other mom I have—do you know her?"

"Aye, her name's Regina," Killian answers.

"And she's the Evil Queen?"

"She's been endeavoring to reform her evil ways—for your sake, lad. She's trying to be a better person for you, so she's now working with Snow White and other heroes."

"And what about Captain Hook?" the boy asks. "The stories all say that you're a bad guy. Are you trying to change too? Is that why you're helping us?"

"Well, from what I know of your world's stories, they aren't exactly the most accurate tales," Killian explains. "I may be a pirate, and I may have been more of a villain in times past than I care to admit, but I would never be caught dead with the hairstyle your mother showed me on one of your world's depictions of me."

The statement earns him a laugh from the boy, and their conversation continues with less tension from there.

Killian teaches him the basics of sailing—just as he taught Baelfire all those years ago. Henry takes to the skill quickly, and Killian wonders how much the boy's subconscious remembers of his prior journeys on the _Jolly Roger_. It gives Killian hope that both the boy and Swan will find a way to regain their past memories.

* * *

The two days pass faster than Emma wants.

After the truths revealed on the first night, she's grateful that her son is so resilient. He's handling the shock of her giving him up and being raised by another woman better than Emma is.

But she still wishes she had more time—time to prepare herself for meeting all the people Hook's informed her about. She doesn't know how much time it would take for her to feel better about the reunion ahead of her, but she knows the time she's had isn't enough.

The stress builds when Hook lets her know he can see the shore from his spyglass. She joins him on the bow to take a look for herself.

Traversing the ship has become easier. Hook provided her with the smallest boots he could find after that first night, apparently not wanting her to harm herself wearing her heels onboard.

The boots are huge on her feet, but the pirate was right—it is easier to navigate the ship in large flats than in stilettos. She's also wearing one of Hook's shirts in place of her dress. Emma still has her leggings on, but the flowing black shirt—almost the length of a tunic on her and belted around her waist—is far less restrictive than the leather dress.

Once Hook hands her the small telescope, she can easily see land ahead of them, and her nerves flare up inside her.

"So what's the plan when we get there? Are you just going to drop us off with directions to the castle and then set sail again?" she asks, unable to stop herself, as she offers him back the spyglass. She's starting to feel too comfortable with the pirate, and she never lets herself do that with anyone. She needs to prepare herself for the letdown she'll experience when he inevitably leaves.

"My intent, Swan," he begins, letting his fingers caress hers slowly as he takes the telescope from her, "is to stay with you until you tell me to go."

There is nothing but honesty in those dark rimmed eyes of his, and Emma can't help but wonder how well her other self resisted the charms of this pirate.

The way he looks at her—Emma can see desire, but there's also something more. She wants to know what he's holding back from her, but she's can't ignore the hint of fear in the back of her mind. She doesn't want another Neal in her life, who'll promise her the world and then disappear once he's done with her.

But there is something different about Hook. He's asking her to take the lead and tell him when it's time to go.

It's not what she's used to, and Emma doesn't know what to do about it, so she does what she does best.

She walks away from him.

* * *

When they arrive in the small port town, Killian begins preparing a few of the ship's enchantments.

No longer under Cora's cloaking spell and with no crew manning her, he needs to make sure no one can steal his ship again. The Queen's castle is a half-day's ride from the port. Once he's there, Killian's certain the Charmings or the Queen will be able to provide him with a few of their guards to protect his ship.

Until then, though, he needs to make sure no one tries to claim the _Jolly Roger_ as their own.

The boy is eager to help him with these tasks. As Henry describes, "This is so much better than school."

Killian can't imagine what must be so horrible about the educational institutions in the Land Without Magic to make a deckhand's duties seem appealing, but he doesn't question the boy's interest.

They are working on some of the rigging when Swan once again appears on the deck, with a small bag on her arm—no doubt with the few pieces of clothing she'd exchanged during their voyage.

Killian rather likes the sight of her in his shirt—although he's held himself back from telling her this. He also doesn't share the fantasy that's been playing in his mind since first seeing her in his clothing. In this vision, he finds her in his cabin wearing nothing but that shirt. He then guides her back to his desk and tastes every inch of the exposed skin between her breasts, before moving them to the bed for more enjoyable activities.

He shakes himself from the dream, though, seeing the laces of his shirt currently tied across Swan's chest, hiding the flesh he longs to explore.

He wants more than her body—he knows in his heart that this is more than a physical attraction. But that thought doesn't keep his mind from imagining every aspect of what he wants to share with her.

He wants to hear those lips of hers cry out in pleasure, moan his name, and beg him for more. He wants to feel her legs straddling his hips, her nails raking against his skin, and her body coming undone around him.

And he wants her trust all the while. He wants her to make pleas and demands of him and know that he would fulfill them. He wants her to feel safe in his arms and know that he would never leave her.

He knows that it will take time—and perhaps more—to win her over, but he's willing to make whatever sacrifices are necessary to make his dreams become reality.

Killian and the boy tie a few final knots, and he acknowledges that they're ready to depart.

Suddenly, though, purple smoke appears on the deck, and Killian pulls Swan and her son behind him.

The smoke materializes into a person, and he instantly recognizes their new guest.

"Pirate, if you're back here, what have you…found?" the Queen questions, but she stumbles over the last word, seeing the people standing behind him.

"Hook, who is that?" Emma asks him.

"Regina," he says.


End file.
